Microwave Signatures and Physical Characteristics of Snow Covered and Desalinated Young Sea Ice

Young sea ice with a snow cover experiences rapid metamorphosis at the snow ice interface due to the high salinity at the ice surface and the insulating effects of the snow. As a result, a slush layer often appears even under cold conditions which gives rise to significant modifications in the micro...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Grenfell, T. C., Lohanick, A. W., Swift, C. T.
Other Authors: NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH LAB STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1990
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Radiofrequency Wave Propagation
*LOW TEMPERATURE
INTERFACES
LAYERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
INSULATION
TIME SERIES ANALYSIS
MICROWAVES
SURFACES
ICE
SHEETS
SIGNATURES
SALINITY
SEA ICE
OPEN WATER
STABILITY
SEA ICE/SALINITY
DESALINATION
MICROWAVES/SIGNATURES
MELTING/ FREEZING/CYCLES
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE REFLECTIONS
WUDN250097
Ice
Ice Sheet
permafrost
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA230736
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA230736
Description
Summary:Young sea ice with a snow cover experiences rapid metamorphosis at the snow ice interface due to the high salinity at the ice surface and the insulating effects of the snow. As a result, a slush layer often appears even under cold conditions which gives rise to significant modifications in the microwave signatures. Time series of observations and accompanying analysis will be reported for selected cases. Bare young sea ice which underwent several melt-freeze cycles was also observed. In this case the ice sheet became almost completely desalinated giving rise to a stable signature intermediate between those of open water and the original ice sheet. Observations and a brief theoretical study are presented. (mm)

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